US grants permit for fertilizer plant

Apr 01, 2013

IOWA CITY (AP) — Regulators have issued a permit to allow construction of a $1.3 billion fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa after a deal was reached to monitor the site to ensure it’s not an Indian burial ground.

Wayne Hannel of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told The Associated Press on Monday his agency issued the permit last week for the Iowa Fertilizer Company to build the plant near Burlington.

An agreement struck between the Corps, state and tribal officials requires workers to carefully remove the soil in an area where they found a prehistoric clay pipe, which can indicate the presence of human remains. Testing has so far revealed no evidence of remains, but additional work is required to be sure.